And we are back!

 

Hello boys and girls, welcome to another year of Washington Redskins football, home-team style.

 

My name is JimmiJo and I am joined by my shuttered compatriot, Spaceman Spiff. Together we bring you the sights and sounds of Redskins preseason football. Tonight represents the first home installment for Washington. I will be looking for fan enthusiasm, tho it is difficult to gauge interest-level from the preseason. These are the games that the season ticket holders give to their siblings and coworkers.

 

Tonight may be different as we expect Alex Smith to play. The pundits keep telling me he is Kirk Cousins only better. That will be awesome if so. 

 

We are quickly filling the list with season-ending injuries, with Washington losing three projected contributors in the first week of preseason. This wince-producing stat is made worse when we consider the projected contributions of Derrius Guice, now lost for the year.

 

All he was brought here to do was resurrect the Redskins' rushing game. 

 

This for me is the biggest area of concern for me. The running game has got to get better for this team to have any reason success this year.

 

Stand by for Inactives...

 

An hour later I remember they don't do inactives in the preseason. Hey, it's preseason for us too!

 

Not much to report. Very sparse crowd so far. But given it is a work-night and rush hour is just wrapping up on the beltway I am not surprised we are not overflowing with people yet.

 

The Redskins appear to be wearing burgundy tops and mustard bottoms, for those keeping score at home. The Jets meanwhile, are sporting white tops and green bottoms.

 

So far just the kickers and long snappers are warming up from both teams. 

 

The hot, sunny day is giving way to a warm, breezy evening. Should be fairly pleasant viewing conditions for those coming out.

 

Kickoff

It is about that time. Follow along in-game on Twitter @Skinscast

 

Half

 

Alex Smith looked sharp, going 4-6 for 48-yards and a 91 passer-rating. 

 

But that's not the story of this game.

 

The story is the injuries that continue to mount to running backs. Samaje Perine had an impressive 30-yard run. Then limped off to be evaluated for an ankle sprain. Next was Byron Marshall.  A lower leg injury they say.

 

The Redskins are suffering the worst run of injuries this early maybe ever. 

 

JimmiJo

 

I am not sure how much we learned tonight. I take that back.

 

Kevin Hogan, whom I had taken to calling ‘Nogan,’ somehow produced a lovely comeback victory with no time to spare. Way to send them home happy.

 

Beyond the excitement at the end I am not sure we learned much.

 

Alex Smith is exactly who we thought he was. Smith went 4-for-6 for 48-yards and a passer rating of 91. There was some excitement on his first call from scrimmage, when Smith play actioned the handoff and kept the ball on a bootleg, he turned to setup to hit Paul Richardson and instead received a face-full of Jets’ linebacker Jordan Jenkins. Smith completed the pass to Richardson and Jenkins was handed a 15- roughing call.

 

The offense are exactly who we thought they are. Feckless in the redzone; unable to produce anything but field goals. Even when the stars did align, with Colt McCoy connecting Cam Sims, area spectacular touchdown catch; cruel fate intervened with a chickenscratch procedure call.

 

The injuries are exactly what we feared they could be. Why is it every running back who goes for 30-yards on a single play comes up limping? Samaje Perine ran for 30-yards on his one carry on the night.

 

The next time he was seen was on the way to the locker room to have an ankle looked at.

 

Then there was Byron Marshall. He barely got into the game before coming out with a leg injury.

 

After the first few drives Washington did very little offensively until they had to at the very end.

 

And as little as this preseason game meant, it was nice to see the valiant stop at the goal line. It was even nicer to see Mr. Hogan lead the team down the field and to victory.

 

Oh yea, we learned one more thing - Dustin Hopkins can kick field goals.

 

Hail!